A Japanese-language TV program has recorded a Foxconn recruiter in Taiyuan, China as saying that Apple will release its next-generation iPhone in June.

TV Tokyo's "World Business Satellite" (WBS) show broadcast a report () on Monday that included footage of a personnel recruitment office for Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn, as noted by Macotakara.

In one recorded scene, a woman asked a Foxconn recruiter how many people the factory is looking to hire.

"We're looking for 18,000 employees…for the fifth-generation phone," he said.

"Is that because demand is high for the 'iPhone 5?'" she asked.

"That's right. It will come out in June."

Though the iPhone 4S is Apple's actual fifth-generation iPhone, Chinese pundits have continued to refer to the upcoming sixth-generation handset as the "iPhone 5."

According to the report, Foxconn already employs 80,000 workers at its Taiyuan plant. The manufacturer has long been Apple's principal partner for producing the iPhone. Just last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited an iPhone production line at a Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China.

Foxconn made headlines last week when it announced that it was buying a 10 percent share of Japanese LCD maker Sharp. The deal prompted Monday's report from WBS, as the reporter was investigating struggles within the Japanese LCD panel industry and efforts by Korean and Taiwanese companies gain share as a result.

It should be noted that the June date allegedly provided by a Foxconn recruitment officer remains highly questionable. For instance, it's unclear how a low-level employee within the company would already know Apple's release schedule when the iPhone maker is notorious for its high level of secrecy.

The rumor also conflicts with multiple other reports that have suggested Apple's sixth-generation iPhone will arrive in September or October of this year. One recent unverified report claimed an LTE-capable iPhone is likely to show up in October.

"Is that because demand is high for the 'iPhone 5?'" she asked.
"That's right. It will come out in June."
The rumor also conflicts with multiple other reports that have suggested Apple's sixth-generation iPhone will arrive in September or October of this year.

Apple won't release the next iPhone less than a year after the iPhone 4S. Almost all of the "reports" are people stating the obvious. Next iPad is supposed to launch a year after the new one. Next iPhone is too. Let's not call these "reports" because they're just people saying something that's almost certainly true and taking advantage of the anonymity given to them (they won't be embarrassed if they put the blame on "industry sources".
Ok, back on topic . As stated before, Apple won't risk updating the iPhone or iPad so frequently now that they're mainstream products (unlike the first iPhone, which had an exponentially smaller user base). So this rumor will go in the Trash, along with the 'iPhone 5' and 'iPad 3/HD/2S' rumors.

Am I in a different universe? Or is Apple's next iPhone going to be the SIXTH GENERATION version? The fifth gen is already out, and it's called the iPhone 4S. This guy is only talking about an increase in production for the 4S, most likely related to an expected surge in sales thanks to Apple opening the device up to more Chinese carriers.

Am I in a different universe? Or is Apple's next iPhone going to be the SIXTH GENERATION version? The fifth gen is already out, and it's called the iPhone 4S. This guy is only talking about an increase in production for the 4S, most likely related to an expected surge in sales thanks to Apple opening the device up to more Chinese carriers.

Mm, that struck me as odd as well.

Even if it's just a mistake and this does refer to the iPhone (2012), I'm still skeptical Apple would release it in June. First, the iPhone 4S will be barely 8 months old at that time. Second, it would likely mean an unveiling at WWDC, but I feel like Apple will want to focus on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and accompanying new Macs at WWDC. Maybe a look at iOS 6 in preview form, but an iPhone release seems like it would be a big distraction from the release of Mountain Lion.

Perhaps the "June" reference was mistranslated or something? Maybe production comes online in June to stockpile a them for a September/October launch?

18,000 people is a lot to come by in short order. Surely it would take at least until June to pull that off, even in China?

If iOS 6 beta is released to developers sometime in April, I would say that this rumor is true. If no iOS 6 developer preview until WWDC, then next iPhone in September/October.

Ditto. If there isn't an announcement for the iOS 6 SDK event in the next week or two, there will not be a new iPhone until the Fall. And honestly, because of the number of LTE networks Apple needs to be compatible with if they want to roll out support this year, later is better than sooner.

If iOS 6 beta is released to developers sometime in April, I would say that this rumor is true. If no iOS 6 developer preview until WWDC, then next iPhone in September/October.

I hear the analysts say iTV or whatever it will be named won't be released until 2013. What if that was wrong and Apple intends to release their TV this year. Wouldn't the September/October time frame be better for a TV for sale right before the Christmas Holiday? The latest iPhone, especially if it is redesigned or has LTE would be a hot seller no matter when released.

Just thinking out loud.
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Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash. Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

Am I in a different universe? Or is Apple's next iPhone going to be the SIXTH GENERATION version? The fifth gen is already out, and it's called the iPhone 4S. This guy is only talking about an increase in production for the 4S, most likely related to an expected surge in sales thanks to Apple opening the device up to more Chinese carriers.

Either that, or June is when Foxconn is going to hire the people and begin training them so that by july the new employees can safely handle sharp objects, like screw drivers. Then in August they chain the workers to the benches and go full out on making the new iPhones.

UPDATE: It is now known that Steve Jobs called this guy direct from his death bed to share with him Apple's future plans. Steve was always looking out for the little guy.

"That (the) world is moving so quickly that iOS is already amongst the older mobile operating systems in active development today." — The Verge

Given that the last iPhone was a spec bump, it wouldn't be so nuts for the new form factor to be released in June. I mean, think about it, everyone thought that the 4S was going to be redesigned, well maybe they did have a new design but the internals weren't ready for it? Well that would mean that they've been sitting on the redesign and waiting for better internals, making the chance of them releasing a brand new iPhone way sooner (again, given that it was almost ready last year).
As for iOS6, correct me if I am wrong, but have they really been releasing a new version every year? I've heard nothing about it and it seems like iOS 5 ain't that old.

Given that the last iPhone was a spec bump, it wouldn't be so nuts for the new form factor to be released in June.

this is how I feel about it. Apple slipped their anual release date from June to September and all we got for the delay was Siri, which needed the extra development time and is still heavily beta. Why wouldn't Apple return to June with the next iPhone that's had two years to prepare since the iPhone 4?

Cost 16GB model $1,200.00, 1TB model $4,234.96 Educational discount of 90% at any Conservative University. Skull and Cross bones members get one for free.

Optional.
Solar panel for the roof of your house to charge the damn thing.
Monkey grease to help keep your monkey off the furniture.
Get out of jail free card for radiation licensing violation on MRI scanning.
1 year medical insurance for who knows what!

Disclaimer. Chimpanzee's can become unpredictable as they grow older and may need to be released back into the wild. Apple does not accept any damages such as your nose being ripped off your face or the occasional arm pulled out of socket routine. Medical insurance is for iPhone related injuries.

Well this is wrong. I work in ...well let me say, an associated business, and I know the first iPhone 5 shipment leaves China in August.
As for that boneheaded comment about Australia starting out out as an illegal colony (huh?), I suggest you read some history. The Aussies have the most sucessful country in the developed world right now.

The next iPhone can continue to run iOS 5. Apple doesn't release a version of OS X every year and I expect iOS to go the same way. The last iPhone was delayed from its usual release date so a June release is entirely plausible. It saves having two separate events. My concern with a June release would be that the changes aren't significant enough to warrant a separate event.

iPhone 5 doesn't make much sense since it's the sixth generation, and iPhone 6 doesn't make much sense as the previous model was called 4(s).

My guess is that it will be called "the new iPhone".

iPhone, like the iPad, iPod and Macbook has reached the point of incremental evolution. If they call it "5", people will have expectations of some amazing new feature, but in fact there's not much they can do now except make it faster, thinner, better battery life, etc.

Apple basically already won the smartphone war. They have the best product, they still need a new model every year to keep it competitive, but from here on out it's mostly about software. Other than maybe NFC, I can't see much they can do to the hardware that anybody really cares about.

I'm guessing they aren't going to make a bigger screen or make it 3D or add haptic feedback or pico projectors or any crazy feature-phone crap that nobody really cares about (at least not until they figure out how to do it properly).

What I want to know is, now that the iPad is old news, what's the next big thing they've got cooking up in their labs waiting to change everything again.

"There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance" - Steve Ballmer

The next iPhone can continue to run iOS 5. Apple doesn't release a version of OS X every year and I expect iOS to go the same way.

Huh? Surely you're aware that Apple is releasing Mountain Lion this year, a year after Lion was released, and has made a commitment to update versions of Mac OS X every year.

I speculate that this continued move toward making the Mac just another device could also lead to a change in accounting that could allow free OS X updates moving forward. There are plenty of reasons this could add to their popularity and therefore profitability as a PC platform.

This bot has been removed from circulation due to a malfunctioning morality chip.

I believe Apple needs to release a new iPhone soon. For example, I want to buy an iPhone, but I've serious doubts about the 4S, first because of its battery/power management, second because the possibility of a new iPhone sooner than expected.

Taking all of this into consideration, yes, I want an iPhone, but buying a 4S now would be unwise.

Cost 16GB model $1,200.00, 1TB model $4,234.96 Educational discount of 90% at any Conservative University. Skull and Cross bones members get one for free.

Optional.
Solar panel for the roof of your house to charge the damn thing.
Monkey grease to help keep your monkey off the furniture.
Get out of jail free card for radiation licensing violation on MRI scanning.
1 year medical insurance for who knows what!

Disclaimer. Chimpanzee's can become unpredictable as they grow older and may need to be released back into the wild. Apple does not accept any damages such as your nose being ripped off your face or the occasional arm pulled out of socket routine. Medical insurance is for iPhone related injuries.

Sponsored by Samsung and Motorola against Apple campaign. Troll!!

You left out the floppy drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX

Huh? Surely you're aware that Apple is releasing Mountain Lion this year, a year after Lion was released, and has made a commitment to update versions of Mac OS X every year.

I speculate that this continued move toward making the Mac just another device could also lead to a change in accounting that could allow free OS X updates moving forward. There are plenty of reasons this could add to their popularity and therefore profitability as a PC platform.

I don't think Apple ever committed to yearly OS X updates. They said something like they intended to update it every year to 18 months, but there was no commitment.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

Australia is just a puppet of the US. Australia started out as an illegal colony anyway.

A colony, that still happens to have a Brit Queen. By the way, British Petroleum doesn't exactly have a clear moral record, as Iran would love to remind the world. Unrelated? Maybe
Oh, "Australian-legal" oil pumping in North Australia have made Indonesia very unhappy, causing a huge spike in radical islamism and terrorist recruitment.
Always useful to be the ones making the laws, uhu?

Then you can call for people to be tried in your own courts,and slander the other guy as a "slumcourt".

Social Capitalist, dreamer and wise enough to know I'm never going to grow up anyway... so not trying anymore.

I'd love to see Apple hold off launching the next iPhone until 2013. Chances are that it will still be the single bestselling smartphone.

This is where Apple's secrecy really pays off. Not just as feee marketing for upcoming products but increasingly to fight against competing product launches. It must be hard to launch a new product with a splash when the rumour mills are spinning out of control on the apparent rumoured imminent release of an iPad 7", an new IOS6, the iPhone 5 or 6, the 5" iPhone / iPod / iPad etc. Everyone wants to report on these speculations and if somebody else (Nokia / Windows) are launching something new every report will inevitably pose the question whether this new device can compete with the impending Apple xxxxxx.

You're confusing what rumors say and what sites like AI have to say. Toward the end of that article is Apple's official statement:
" the company announced it would target an 18 month schedule"

So it's 18 months rather than 12, and it's only a target, not a commitment.

AI was confused by the fact that Apple scheduled on OS for 12 months after the previous one - and they immediately jumped to the conclusion that that was Apple's official policy. As stated above, it was not - and never has been.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

You're confusing what rumors say and what sites like AI have to say. Toward the end of that article is Apple's official statement:
" the company announced it would target an 18 month schedule"

So it's 18 months rather than 12, and it's only a target, not a commitment.

AI was confused by the fact that Apple scheduled on OS for 12 months after the previous one - and they immediately jumped to the conclusion that that was Apple's official policy. As stated above, it was not - and never has been.

1) Mountain Lion is coming 1 year after Lion. Not 18 months, not 24 months.

2) There have been plenty of people who ahave spoke with Apple to confirm the commitment of 12 months.

Quote:

=Anand]Mountain Lion is supposed to be the first instance of this yearly OS X release cadence. In speaking with Apple it's clear that annual OS X releases is the goal,

3) A committment is a target. That doesn't mean there won't be delays.

4) The 18 months you reference is an old statement from when Mac OS X was still new and rapidly changing.

5) Apple has stated several times they wish to make the Mac just another device. Part of doing that also seems to be yearly updates like they have with iOS.

This bot has been removed from circulation due to a malfunctioning morality chip.

this is how I feel about it. Apple slipped their anual release date from June to September and all we got for the delay was Siri, which needed the extra development time and is still heavily beta. Why wouldn't Apple return to June with the next iPhone that's had two years to prepare since the iPhone 4?

Too close to the iPad release cycle. I think they like having something new every six months. They used to release iPods just before school but iPods are phasing out so the iPhone takes that release slot.